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Herb lawns can be an efficient alternative to traditional landscapes because they need to be mowed only once or twice a month, take less water and can be a boost to the environment, writes Bonnie Orr, a master gardener. Many nurseries have or can get dryland ecology lawn seed mixes, which are drought- and shade-tolerant. Some examples are ryegrass, fine fescue, strawberry and Dutch white clover, wild English daisy, Roman chamomile, yarrow and baby blue eyes.

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A lifeless lawn can be renovated by adding grass seed between now and early October, before bluegrass weed takes over, said Alec Kowalewski, a turfgrass specialist in Oregon. Lawns with full sun exposure can do well with perennial ryegrass or drought-tolerant tall fescue, while those with shade do well with fine fescue. Existing lawns should be aerated with a core-cultivating machine before the grass seed and the appropriate starter fertilizer are applied, Kowalewski notes.

Warmer weather in North Carolina has prompted homeowners to focus on landscaping and maintaining a turf grass that outgrows the weeds. Fescue, the predominant turf grass grown in Rowan County, N.C., needs frequent mowing for its growth and development. Using correct mower heights often results in the decline or even elimination of certain weed species.

Gardening in early spring can help combat any potential problematic areas and provide an early boost for a lawn's appearance, says Ken Brown, owner of Spring-Green Lawn Care in Rochester, N.Y. Gardeners should start with light raking to prevent or get rid of snow mold. Gardeners can fertilize their lawns once the ground thaws to jump-start grass growth and stop crabgrass seeds from germinating.

A Finnish reel mower promises to offer twice the cutting power of other reel mowers to get past rough patches -- dense grass, small twigs or other debris. The Fiskars Momentum mower has InertiaDrive technology, which stores energy like a flywheel and releases it when extra power is needed. The mower is an ecological alternative to gas-powered versions.

Small businesses can expect a "sea of changes" in how they purchase health insurance after President Barack Obama signs the health care reform bill that was passed by the House on Sunday. The bill and a series of amendments headed to the Senate will require states to set up exchanges where small businesses can pool resources to get more affordable rates on insurance, and bars insurers from setting rates or denying coverage because of preexisting conditions. A CNNMoney.com article outlines other major points of the bill and how they affect small businesses.